Many of the job postings that I see don't specifically require A+ but I think that being certified is a good idea. A+ Certified shows that you have some basic hardware and software knowledge, at least more than most average users. I know some people may say that getting certified is a waste of time and $$ but for me it's helped to show employers that I know what I'm talking about and can do the job. If you any questions I'd be happy to discuss this further.

When I took the A+ exams (there were two), they were $120 each. I'm not sure if they changed in cost. I do know that the content of the tests have been updated a bit. You may have to know some linux but I don't know how much. The place to go for all of the info on the exams is www.comptia.org

A+ certification is completely hardware based. You should not have to know operating system related material in order to pass. My best advice would be to pick up the A+ manual and study it.

Certs are a big deal in the industry, but A+ is among the easiest, aswell as MCPs and the MCSE. The harder and more significant woule be Linux Certification and Cisco. There are some other new ones aswell...

A+ was considered somewhat of a joke in the past. It was too easy to get. It has since been updated.

"Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality." -Jules de Gautier

I took a computer class at a local trade school in the fall of 98 just to brush up on the latest technology. Turns out I knew more than the teacher. He was later on fired and went to work at the sheriff's department. Daddy always said when you get so sorry you cant do anthing else you can be in law enforcement